


The Mandalorian, His Children, and Their Varactyl

by Lailuva



Series: 101 Yoditos AU [8]
Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: 101 Yoditos AU, Din Djarin vs. pet ownership, Gen, Varactyls (Star Wars)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-09
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-13 11:36:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 23
Words: 7,577
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28652877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lailuva/pseuds/Lailuva
Summary: Din Djarin has his hands full.  Not only did he adopt a Force-sensitive child but also his 100 cloned brothers, but now the clan is getting its 103rd member:  a new pet varactyl.
Relationships: Boga Jr. & the 101, Din Djarin & Boga Jr., Din Djarin & Grogu | Baby Yoda, Din Djarin & the 101
Series: 101 Yoditos AU [8]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2065464
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> thehollyraven on Tumblr suggested adding a pet varactyl to the 101 Yoditos AU and how could I, a massive fan of Boga from RotS, resist? Now Boga Jr. is a full-fledged OC and has enough content to earn her own work in the series.

thehollyraven:

in the yoditos AU, would the yoditos steal a Varactyl (or get their tiny baby hands on one somehow?) local boga enthusiast wants to know

ooops-i-arted:

THEY DO NOW

Like someone’s loose pet or an escapee from the zoo is loose. Din is trying to herd the kids away because they may be herbivores but those beaks are _really_ sharp and oh god what if it snatches the babies, I fought a wild one on Utapau and got a chunk taken out of me, oh god

But of course some break off and tame it through the Force, connecting with it just the way Ezra taught them. The next thing Din sees is a dozen of his children squealing with delight as they ride a wild young varactyl through the zoo at extreme speeds. The only thing worse than this sight is the fact that he is the one who has to chase them, catch them, and herd the kids off the varactyl without a stray tranq from the panicking zookeepers hitting anyone.

That evening is one of the ones where Din lays down for a while with a mug of hot chocolate and contemplates how absurd his life is and how peaceful the ceiling is for a while.


	2. Chapter 2

thehollyraven:

I’m back Would Din get used to Boga Jr after a while or would he Not (also!! bonus question would Boga Jr have a different name than. boga jr or no? Also fyi you don’t have to answer this one if you don’t feel up to it! :0)

ooops-i-arted:

Din absolutely puts his foot down about pets. No! No way! Not EVER!

Okay maybe we can sponsor the varactyl at the zoo, and visit her sometimes. JUST TO LOOK.

The zoo is having financial issues and is closing exhibits? They’re gonna sell my kids’ varactyl to a meat factory?? Absolutely not, she can stay with us on Sorgan, BUT ONLY UNTIL WE FIND HER A NEW HOME.

Within a week Cara walks in and the varactyl is curled up on Din’s lap while he’s reading in his armchair or whatever and when she asks about when the varactyl is going to a new home WELL _YEAH,_ CARA, _EVENTUALLY,_ BUT I AM RESEARCHING ZOOS AND MANY OF THEM DON’T HAVE SPECIFIC ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS OR KNOW ABOUT THEIR DIETS AND SHE’S BETTER HERE FOR NOW, I’M NOT SENDING MY KIDS’ VARACTYL TO AN INFERIOR ZOO

And that’s how the 101 got their first pet.

For a name I’m torn bc there’s absolutely no reason in-universe for her to be named Boga Jr., but…..honoring Boga + maybe there was some nudge in the Force and the kids just picked the name randomly because some old man ghost dude told them that it was the name of the Best Varactyl Mount Ever and trust him, it’s a good name.


	3. Chapter 3

thehollyraven:

its me again yeehaw anyways maybe Din trains Boga Jr. to be able to sniff out the Yoditos? probably more for emergencies but it's also helpful when they're All Over The Place (for hide and seek or whatever) ((also i hope you don't mind the boga jr-centric asks aka known as Probably The Only Asks You'll Get From Me Until I Start The Mandalorian hdgdjgdjsbdj. gonna try and Start™ tomorrow if that's any condolence))

ooops-i-arted:

Oh yes, when it comes to rounding up his gremlins, Din needs all the help he can get! Boga Jr. loves it, though, and she’s a clever girl. (Din splurges on nice treats for her and ignores Kuiil’s knowing looks and keeps insisting he’ll send her to a new zoo, eventually.)

Never apologize for loving Boga/varactyls, I’m just so excited there’s someone else in the world who adores them as much as me and my sister do!! And enjoy The Mandalorian. :)

#this is always a Team Boga blog


	4. Chapter 4

thehollyraven:

I have an idea *dramatic music* how old is Boga Jr? you mentioned that she can fit in Din’s lap at this point in time. My personal headcanon is that Varactyls can live up to 50 years or more sort of like African Grey parrots (forgot where I was going with this but. yeehaw)

ooops-i-arted:

I was definitely picturing her as a youngling. So maybe eventually she’s big enough for Din to ride too! (She still tries to sit on his lap, though, it’s just way less achievable and way more hilarious to see Din trying to persuade a huge fluffy varactyl to not sit on him.)

Afaik there’s no official Legends or Disney canon on varactyl age but 50 years doesn’t sound unreasonable to me (maybe even 100, since they are reptiles iirc and reptiles can be quite long-lived). Which isn’t too shabby when most of your owners are long-lived too. Grown-up Boga Jr. can certainly cart a lot of them around since they aren’t super heavy or big.


	5. Chapter 5

thehollyraven:

here’s an ask for the Morning(tm): since all species age differently and all that in the previous ask, how would the Yoditos cope with losing Boga Jr? would they like. adopt another Varactyl after a while or would they breed her I’m like. morbidly curious hdhdgdhdghs

ooops-i-arted:

I imagine they would be sad when she passed on, and mourn her, and then adopt another one. Maybe more than one.

“I can’t believe you got three this time” - 90-year-old Din who is currently scritching the heads of all 3 as they lay in his lap

thekeeperofbabyyoda:

Okay does the varactyl sleep in Dins bed? I feel like he says it doesn’t and then proves himself to be a liar when its snuggled against him.

ooops-i-arted:

Kuiil helps make her a nice little varactyl house and Din insists she will ONLY be let in the actual house when it’s too cold outside

Ofc that is a blatant lie and she’s in the house whenever she wants

  



	6. Chapter 6

thehollyraven:

On a happier note: Thinking about Varactyls again, for some reason I was thinking "how do Varactyls feed their babies: like birds or lizards or both" also consider: the older a Varactul gets the more Cool Armor Stuff they get (like the playing on their beak n stuff. also perhaps they get floofier) also also: I wonder if Din or the Yoditos would ever get Boga Jr armor (I feel that would be more of a The Yoditos thing and not Din tho lmao) and I just now realized this turned into a ramble whoops

ooops-i-arted:

I’m inclined to say maybe birds? Because of the beak? And maybe the mama chews up the food and horfs it up like a penguin for the babies until they can chew vegetation themselves. But idk.

Moar floof yes all the floof

And I love the idea of the Yoditos getting Boga Jr. armor! And/or persuading Din to. For those times he rides her on a hunt or something.


	7. Chapter 7

thehollyraven:

I wonder if Boga Jr would play fetch or amthin. or willingly swim bc it would be really funny to just see a big horse lizard dog bird jump into a river or lake completely unprompted n what not. but also bc its be funny to see Din's reaction to that (side note: I am currently in episode 3 of Mandalorian!!)

ooops-i-arted:

Boga Jr learning to play fetch would be the ideal solution to the kids constantly wanting to yeet, actually. Din approves because he gets to actually sit and supervise, AND the kids are exercising the pet for him. (And being a young varactyl, Boga Jr. is FULL of energy.)

Ahh I love episode 3. The only time my lil hobbity ass ever got the urge to flying squirrel tackle a fully armed grown man. (THAT RESCUE THO. DAMN.)


	8. Chapter 8

thehollyraven:

also I hope you know that I imagined boga just shaking the kids, tossing em, and then catching them. almost like an actual doggie iirc, or one of the kids testing another kid™ and boga leaping out of nowhere to catch em

ooops-i-arted:

Din trains her out of shaking the kids - that’s too much for his nerves - but having Boga Jr. fetch an unruly kid who doesn’t want to come to bed is fantastic.


	9. Chapter 9

thehollyraven:

damn it autocorrect i meant to say Doggo. anyways here's another thing: what kinda treats would Din get for Boga Jr, if any? to be fair iirc sorgan is Forest™ (or maybe it's not idk) so she might be content just munching on the stuff there but idk hddhhdgsghsgs, also I wonder what Boga thinks of berries n stuff for some reason hdgsjsg

ooops-i-arted:

Surely there are vegetation-based pet treats sold throughout the galaxy. Boga Jr. likes plenty of Sorgan’s native flora but a special treat is still a good thing in her mind. (Din claims he doesn’t spoil her. It is a blatant lie.)


	10. Chapter 10

glamorousgamine:

Are there things that Boga Jr can detect with their different animal senses that the 101 can't with the Force? I was remembering that thing where wolves can tell if someone's pregnant. I just imagine her whining because she's worried about Din or one of the Babysitters and before you know it the 101 are in a tizzy as well.

ooops-i-arted:

I honestly don’t know enough about animal biology/senses to really apply it but I don’t see why not? If nothing else maybe they know when a storm is coming because Boga Jr. starts wanting to hang out in the house and herd everyone else inside too. Or she knows (like many cats and dogs) when a stranger is coming and gets defensive and protective appropriately.


	11. Chapter 11

thehollyraven:

it is I: fun fact! both of my dogs like to mess up the bed(s) ((or in Toto the Void’s case anything fuzzy that he can get his tiny claws on)) to make themselves a nest. It’s very funny seeing a big white cloud thing enthusiastically scratching at pillows so it’s comfortable for him, and I’d bet it’d be even funnier to see a big bird lizard dog horse doing the same thing ngl (not sure where I was going with this, sorry dhgdjsgsjsg)

ooops-i-arted:

Din makes his bed every morning because by the stars, everything else in his life is pure chaos but he was RAISED TO BE A DISCIPLINED WARRIOR AND HE’S GONNA MAKE THAT DAMN BED COME HELL OR HIGH WATER and he _swears_ Boga Jr. knows when he’s done it because no matter what, the second he’s finished and taken his eyes off the bed she’s on it and has rearranged the everything on the bed to suit her - the sheets, the blankets, the extra pillows that he will deny buying for her sake until his dying day - everything. She looks at him dead in the eye amid the bedding that looks like a tornado just went through it and cheeps adorably at him, her head feathers rustling and perking up. Din just sighs.

(Din isn’t one to let a pet run rampant and do whatever they want - Boga Jr. is overall trained well and well-behaved - but he does let this behavior slide because of all the times he’s come back to find several Yoditos curled up asleep, safely tucked in the blanket nest with Boga Jr. watching over them.)


	12. Chapter 12

thehollyraven:

another fun fact about my dogs: Toto the Void likes to Demand pets from people and looks incredibly offended when you stop (or shoves his head under your hand or starts pawing at you) so I bring A Thing: maybe in the ye olden days of Boga Jr first coming to live with Din and the 101 she used to just. come up to people aka Din and Demand pets from him (or some other poor random stranger)

ooops-i-arted:

Most likely. I see her being a very friendly varactyl.

Din had to train her to ask more calmly, though, after one too many times of nearly being bowled over by excited, still-growing varactyl.


	13. Chapter 13

thehollyraven:

When you mentioned the Yoditos and Boga Jr stealing actual eggs when possible, I’m jus wondering if they like. raid birds nests or local shops or what djgdjsgdhsg (bonus: Boga helping to yeet the Yoditos into the trees where they steal eggs)

ooops-i-arted:

I was thinking more Din has eggs in the house to cook himself/his human friends food with and they stole them to play with. But now that you mention it, I can totally see them hunting down eggs in the wild to play with them. Crunchy shells and slimy insides? What a perfect sensory experience for a little one! Boga Jr. encourages the game. (Din frantically googles “respect nature lessons toddlers preK”.)


	14. Chapter 14

thehollyraven:

more or less a hypothetical question bc I’m bored and can’t think of anything else: what would happen if Boga Jr found a Varactyl Egg (infertile bc food or not :0) or something resembling a Varactyl Egg?

ooops-i-arted:

Hmm. I guess she’d have some instincts to look after it even though she’s a zoo animal. So maybe she wouldn’t know quite what to do with it but she’d build a nest and brood on it a bit. But she’s still kinda young and unsure and gets distracted from it easily.

Omera tells Din this is what’s called A Learning Opportunity so he encourages the kids to make a project of it and help Boga Jr. look after the egg. They read holobooks on varactyls, watch holovids, do research, build their own nests and paint rocks egg-colors to put in them, etc. The kids get into it and they’re learning and it’s great! Din feels like he is actually doing this dad thing correctly!

Until it backfires because the egg goes rotten and the kids Will Not Let Him Get Rid of The Egg. You said we had to help Boga Jr. take care of it, Dad! Not only is the rotten egg stinking up the whole area so bad he can smell it through the helmet, he can’t stop having weird dreams about Jawas. Also OG Yodito teaches the others “SUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.” They don’t know what it means but they do love copying their brother.


	15. Chapter 15

thehollyraven:

I bring more Boga Jr stuff: I wonder if Boga Jr would have different noises for different things, mostly like. “Danger!!” “I Want (Thing)” “Pet Me You Filthy Casual.” etc etc :0 (not the best question but I have no other ideas hdgsjvsjsvs sorry)

ooops-i-arted:

Yeah definitely, most animals do (and non-verbal children too) so Boga Jr. would have her own array of sounds. Din learns them pretty well; Boga Jr. becomes his main alert system for both strangers and little green escapees.

The kids have an advantage with her because they can also sense what she’s feeling. Not as clearly as a sapient being but they can tell if she’s scared or excited or hungry, etc.


	16. Chapter 16

thehollyraven:

here’s an idea: the “I missed you so much!” Sentence started but it’s Din and Boga Jr when Din thinks they aren’t being watched

ooops-i-arted:

Din angled the _Razor Crest_ further downward, carefully aiming for the makeshift landing pad that had been made just outside the village. He could already see the kids swarming, little green specks on the landscape spilling out of the house to greet him. And of course right behind them was their newest acquisition, the gangly young varactyl’s bright yellow and rusty red feathers easily visible even from this distance.

Din sighed. She - named Boga Jr. by the kids for absolutely no reason he’d been able to decipher - was the reason he’d had to take another job so soon after the last one, now that he had yet another eager mouth to feed. He hadn’t thought one young animal could eat so much when he gave in to the kids’ begging and rescued her from that shut-down zoo, but Boga Jr. was practically a bottomless pit.

And that wasn’t even getting into all the work a new pet took, because of course the kids couldn’t really manage her, being so much smaller than her. Din was the one who had to feed her, water her, train her, make sure she was walked, take her outside to shit, and probably more tasks that would pile up until he found somewhere new to rehome her.

He landed the _Razor Crest,_ watching carefully for stragglers, but by now the kids were very good about staying safely away from the ship and clustering around one of their caretakers instead. Kuiil was holding the rambunctious varactyl by her harness; IG-11 and Winta were herding the kids. Din hurried through the shutdown sequence and all but ran down to the exit ramp.

A deafening cry of “DAD!” greeted him as the ramp lowered; the green mass ahead barely waited for the ramp to lower completely before swarming up. Din knelt to greet them all, scooping them up for hugs by the armful, knowing they would be able to sense his huge smile even if they couldn’t see it. This was always the best part of a job: coming home and being welcomed back.

The kids were full of information, telling him about every scrape and adventure and incident that had happened over the last three days he’d been gone, the cacophony more than even his helmet’s audio filters could handle. His eldest firmly lodged himself in the crook of Din’s elbow while several climbed his shoulders and back and legs, the beskar protecting him from most of the claws. By now even the littlest babies were crawling up to him, carefully shadowed by Winta, cooing and trying to pull themselves up his boots.

“I missed you all so much,” Din finally said when most of them paused to catch a breath.

He got dozens of “we missed you too!”s in return, along with several pleads not to leave again and to play and to come look at various art pieces, block structures, and mud pies. Din frowned in irritation as Boga Jr. kept squawking louder and louder, straining so hard at her harness she was almost pulling Kuiil over and making it harder to hear his sons.

“It is sunset,” intoned IG-11. “This is the children’s designated bedtime.”

Din waited for the kids’ loud collective groan to pass before saying, “Yes, it is.”

“I don’t want to go to bed,” grumped Yod’ika, pressing his face into Din’s chest. “I want to play with you.”

The others echoed their eldest brother. Din hugged all the ones he was holding and tried to give head pats to everyone else in range. “I’ll be here tomorrow. We can play all day then.”

“Aww,” said the kids, turning their big brown eyes on him.

“Tomorrow,” said Din firmly before their adorable expressions could work their magic on him.

Before he could start herding them to the house, there was a loud squawk and Boga Jr. finally broke free from Kuiil, bounding right up to Din.

Din cursed, snatching the babies up before her feet could crush them and jerking away as the feathered face stuck right in his helmet. The long tail thrashed, nearly getting one of the littler ones, who laughed and toddled away, unconcerned by how close to injury he’d come. “Down,” Din snapped, trying to stand up. Boga Jr. jumped at him, aiming for his chest where several of the children were cradled. _“Down,”_ Din ordered.

“Here, girl,” called Kuiil, and the varactyl bounded back over to Kuiil without trampling any of the children and accepted him reattaching the harness. “Apologies, but she is strong,” said Kuiil, stroking some of the head feathers that gleamed ruby in the slanting sunlight. “She will not hurt the little ones, though. You needn’t fear.”

“Boga Jr. is nice, Daddy,” chirped Yod’ika 22 from somewhere around his foot.

“Papa, I don’t want to go to bed,” whined Yod’ika 17, squirming out of Din’s arm and dropping before Din could catch him. He landed easily like the kids usually did, but it still worried Din every time. “Can’t we play just five more minutes?”

He really wanted to be the nice one and say yes. But Omera had always said a consistent bedtime is for the best, and by now Din had seen evidence of that himself. So he simply answered, “We will play tomorrow.”

Yod’ika 17 scowled, then said “No!” and bolted.

Din sighed as the kids broke out in cheers as Yod’ika 17 evaded IG-11 and Winta, giggling madly. Din debated joining the chase. He knew it was done to gain his attention, and if he did give in he’d have to set down all the ones in his arms and draped over his shoulders, and then they’d run…

Before he could make a decision, Boga Jr. squirmed out of Kuiil’s grasp and bolted after the wayward Yod’ika 17, rapidly bearing down on him, jaws opened wide.

Din had seen those jaws snap a thick tree branch in half and now they were after _his son_ and he couldn’t put all the other kids down in time to get his blaster and -

But the thought wasn’t even finished before Boga Jr. delicately picked up Yod’ika 17 by the neck of his shirt, the little one giggling madly as Boga Jr. calmly trotted over and delivered the boy right to Din’s feet. Her tail thrashed back and forth happily and Din could almost swear she was grinning at him.

“Good job, Boga Jr.,” said several of the kids, patting her feathers and laughing as she headbutted them, always gently enough to make sure they didn’t so much as stumble.

“The varactyl has proved useful in herding the children,” said IG-11.

“She likes them,” said Winta, scratching Boga Jr.’s head feathers and laughing as the tail gently knocked against her legs. “And she likes to chase them.”

“Let’s go home, Boga Jr.,” said Yod’ika 17, climbing on the varactyl’s back. Several of his brothers joined him, and Boga Jr. waited patiently until they were on board before rocketing over to the house, the children laughing wildly and Din reminding himself that that feeling in his chest wasn’t actually a heart attack.

—

Winta was sent off to her own home after helping all the children get inside and Kuiil went off to tend his blurrgs, leaving Din and IG-11 to handle putting 101 children to bed. By now Din had the process down to a science, and he was glad to fall back into the easy rhythm of wiping away the day’s grime, putting on nightclothes, changing a diaper or herding them to one of the child potties, and then tucking them into the wall of beds or one of the cribs.

Of course it was complicated by the newest resident. Boga Jr. wanted to help lick the kids clean and physically carry them to and from the bathroom when she wasn’t trying to snatch pajamas out of Din’s hand. And of course all the mischief riled up the kids tenfold, when bedtime was already always more difficult when Din returned, with every child determined to wring every scrap of attention out of him they could.

But finally everyone was safely tucked in with a favorite toy and IG-11 headed back to Kuiil’s residence. Din read a book to all of them - shorter than usual because they were running late, but still long enough to ensure there were yawns and drooping eyes by the time he was done - and then one final good night for everyone. Boga Jr. stayed at his heels the entire time, yapping additions to the book until Din shushed her, and weaving in and out of the babies’ cribs as if determined to check their integrity. Din held his breath, but her clunking into them didn’t wake anyone up, even finicky Ika’ika.

Finally it was his own turn to get ready for bed, the process slowed by the varactyl who still insisted on following him, huffing and squawking softly at him no matter how many times he tried to get her to keep quiet.

“Don’t you have a place to sleep yet?” Din asked grumpily in between brushing his teeth. Boga Jr. only stood up against the sink stand and made faces at herself in the mirror. Din made a mental note to ask Kuiil to finish that pet enclosure he’d asked for as soon as possible.

She padded ahead of him as he went to his own room, sleep dragging at his eyelids, and it wasn’t until he’d gotten half his armor off and on its stand that he finally noticed where the varactyl had set herself.

Boga Jr. was in his bed, the sheets and comforter now a twisted mess and the pillows scattered to the floor. When she saw him looking she squalled happily, her tail whipping back and forth and knocking the last pillow down.

“Get down,” Din said irritably. Hadn’t he told everyone before he left he didn’t want the animal on the furniture? Dammit, he was going to have a talk with Cara; he usually tolerated her ignoring his rules for the kids because she still kept the kids safe and her antics made them happy, but this was too much. “Down,” he repeated, and the varactyl jumped down and coiled around his feet instead, rubbing her feathered head against his shins. Din grumbled, planting his feet so he wouldn’t be knocked over. Even as a juvenile, Boga Jr. was about as long as he was tall, and plenty strong.

Din ignored her, getting the rest of the armor off and exchanging his jumpsuit for the loose shirt and pants he slept in. He set his helmet on his nightstand before stepping back into the house, convinced that there had to be some other suitable place for the pet to sleep. The nightlight was the only illumination, and the kids were making those cute soft baby snores that meant they were asleep, so he tiptoed through the rest of the house trying to find some corner where he could stick the varactyl until morning without her waking up the kids.

As if summoned by the thought, there was a rapid and not-very-quiet patter of feet and Boga Jr. came bounding after him, her squawking muffled but still plenty audible. “Shh!” hissed Din, afraid she would undo all his hard work at bedtime, but she ignored him, skidding to a halt at his feet and squawking again, tail thumping against the floor. Din tried to scoot away from her, but she followed him, finally leaping up and placing her oversized paws on his chest, and he finally saw what was muffling her noises. She had his damn helmet in her beak.

“Thanks,” he mumbled, taking it and praying she hadn’t dented it. She squawked happily, then bounded off to his room, knocking into one of the cribs on her way.

Din cursed, hurrying over in time to see the three infants in it start to squirm and mewl. “Shh, shh,” Din whispered, gently rocking Yod’ika 97, Yod’ika 98, and Yod’ika 99 with his hands. The first two settled immediately, but Yod’ika 99 fussed and whimpered until Din picked him up, bouncing him a little until he finally settled and Din could set him back in the crib.

“Dad?” mumbled a sleepy voice from across the room.

Din hurried over to soothe his eldest back into sleep; anytime Yod’ika realized he had Din all to himself again, he was liable to stretch the time out by any means necessary. “It was just Boga Jr. running around, ad’ika,” he said, patting the little head. “Go back to sleep.”

“But she’s supposed to be sleeping,” said Yod’ika fretfully. “You aren’t making her go outside with no house, are you Dad?”

“No, of course not,” Din said. The kids had been very adamant that Boga Jr. needed shelter and Din was pretty sure he would’ve found himself on the wrong end of a magic hand if he’d tried to argue. “Where has she been sleeping?”

“In your room, Dad,” said Yod’ika with a huge yawn. “She likes your bed.”

Dammit. Someone had let her get on the furniture. Din patted Yod’ika a few times until he rolled over and went back to sleep, then trudged back to his own room to find Boga Jr. waiting for him. The second he walked inside her head shot up and her tail happily thumped on the bedclothes. The pillows had all been dragged back on the bed, the beak-shaped marks in them eliminating any question of who had put them there. Din sighed, but supposed the bedding was due for a wash anyway.

Boga Jr. squawked happily at him, leaping up and circling on top of the bed, twisting the covers with her and rearranging the pillows. But instead of plopping in the middle, she scooted off to the side and stared at him expectantly.

Stars, what the hell did she want now? Din just wanted to go to sleep… 

Impatiently, the varactyl leapt up and hurried over to him, catching his pant leg in her oversized and very sharp beak. Din jumped, but she only tugged insistently until he followed her over to the bed, where she jumped up again and chirruped encouragingly, knocking her head against his arm and trying to urge him into the bed.

Suddenly it hit Din. A nest. She’d made him a damn nest.

Din crawled into bed, trying to not completely destroy Boga Jr.’s handiwork while pulling the blankets over himself. Immediately two pillows were dropped on his head, accompanied by a quiet chirr, and then the whole damn varactyl flopped down on top of him, knocking the wind out of his lungs. Boga Jr. didn’t seem to notice, just nudging his arm aside until she could stick her beak in the crook of his elbow, one of the kids’ favorite places to nestle given half a chance. Her tail flapped back and forth a few times, and then she started making a low, rumbling purr, rubbing her face against Din’s side.

Without thinking, Din started scratching at her head feathers, earning a contented chirr. “You missed me, huh?” he asked.

Boga Jr. gave him a distinctly happy chirrup and rubbed her face against him some more.

Well, maybe one night in his bed wouldn’t hurt. Especially since it seemed like she really did like the kids, and she really didn’t have anywhere else to sleep anyway, and she really wasn’t _that_ bad, he thought. “I missed you too,” Din told her.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr prompt from thehollyraven: "another one: “Give me attention.” But also Boga and Din?? Maybe just Din trying to translate what she’s saying? Not sure tbh have fun with this one"

It was Din’s turn to watch the babies during their nap. He didn’t mind. It was a beautiful sunny day, all the other kids were playing outside with the village children under IG-11’s supervision, and with them occupied he could actually sit down and review the bounties Greef had sent him and hopefully find one to pursue.

The only obstacle was Boga Jr.

“Why don’t you want to go outside?” Din asked for what had to be the sixth time as the rambunctious young varactyl pattered after him, chirruping in response. Din opened the door and held it, trying to nudge her through with his foot, but she deftly wove between his legs and headed back into the main room.

Din sighed and closed the door. If the kids caught him, they’d beg him to switch out IG-11 and play, and he really needed to choose a new job. He had over a hundred mouths to feed, after all.

He grabbed his datapad and headed for the chair in the main room, only to find it was already occupied. Boga Jr. cheeped at him in a downright smug way and thrashed her tail, feet kneading the armrest.

Din sighed. “Can we not do this?”

Boga Jr. squalled cheerfully at him; Din shushed her but it was too late, and a long mewling cry came out of one of the cribs.

In a flash Boga Jr. was over there; Din maneuvered around her to soothe the baby before he could wake his brothers. It was Ika’ika, of course; he was a very light sleeper. At least his vocal chords were too weak and underdeveloped to cry loud enough to wake the others. “Shh, shh,” said Din, rubbing his tiny head with two fingers, “you’re all right.”

Ika’ika latched on to Din’s fingers, rolling over to try and crawl in his hand. “All right, fussy-ears,” Din said, scooping him up; Ika’ika rarely fell asleep without some assistance. He was too small for Din to rock, even with his hands, because the motion was too jarring for Ika’ika’s little body, so instead Din tucked him in a fold of his cloak by his neck and started humming. He felt the tiny claws poke at him as they latched onto the cloth, Ika’ika curling up by his neck and seeking out the vibrations in his father’s throat. He always liked that.

“Don’t wake anyone else up,” Din told the varactyl still hovering by his feet. This time he beat her to the chair, but she immediately leapt up with her paws on his knees, chirruping eagerly and even making a sound similar to his humming.

“All right, fine,” Din grumped, lifting up his arms. Boga Jr. immediately pounced on his lap, making him wince and Ika’ika squeak. She settled herself, tail draped over the end of the chair and legs hanging loose, neck curled around to rest on Din’s knee. Ika’ika whined, pulling on Din’s cloak.

“Between the two of you it’s a miracle I get anything done,” said Din, unable to keep a smile off his face. He scratched Boga Jr.’s head before resting his arms on her back and she purred contentedly; he hummed and Ika’ika settled, the soft peach fuzz on his head brushing against Din’s skin as he curled up at Din’s neck. With two of his fussiest settled and content with the attention they’d been given, he finally turned his attention to choosing his next job.


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tumblr prompt from thehollyraven: “Why me?” and “Are you warmth enough?” with Boga Jr. and the rest of the clan or smthin? idk hfhdhdghsvs

Are you warm enough?”

 _“Yes,_ Papa!” said Yod’ika 17 impatiently, squirming as Din wrapped the miniature knitted scarf around his neck. “Can I go play now?”

“I’m not having you catch cold,” Din said sternly, tucking the ends of the scarf so they hopefully wouldn’t become unraveled immediately. He checked the matching yellow hat and mittens and the bright orange knitted booties over again, making a mental note to thank Omera again for not only teaching him how to make them and repairing his poor work but also supplying the 101 with plenty of her own handmade items. “Have someone fix your things right away if they fall off.”

“Yes, Papa!” Yod’ika shouted before he was off, running through the snow with his brothers and Winta.

Din surveyed his current crew. IG-11 was supervising as Winta and the children - just the older ones over 30 this time, as Kuiil had kindly volunteered to help watch the younger ones at home - ran through the snow, screeching with delight as they hurled snowballs at each other and made snow forts and snow-people. And of course through them all ran Boga Jr. Din had almost left her behind, believing varactyls usually preferred a warmer climate, but her skills at rounding up the kids would be useful and so far, he’d seen no sign that the cold was getting to her.

The kids had helpfully wound a bright striped scarf around her neck when Din had mentioned he was worried about her handling the cold. It was one of his first pieces, and he was half-hoping she would lose it, giving how rambunctiously she was bounding through the snow, but so far the rainbow-patterned travesty had stayed wrapped around her long neck as she plowed through the kids’ snow structures and tried to catch snowballs in her mouth.

Din wound one of his later creations around his neck - black and yellow and only half-full of raggedy edges where he’d dropped stitches - before joining everyone else, his boots crunching in the snow. Already there were trails and tracks snaking through the white snow, a few deeper ones from IG-11 and Winta, but mostly the long white lines that meant one of his little ones had shuffled through, bodies so light they barely fell into the snow. It wouldn’t be a bad opportunity to hone his tracking skills a little, keep them from getting rusty.

“Got you!” Any more thoughts about tracks were gone as a snowball splatted against Din’s breastplate, Yod’ika grinning smugly at him from a few feet away.

“Oh no you don’t,” said Din, scooping up a snowball of his own and packing it, watching his eldest giggle and flee for cover. Din waited for those oversized ears to peek out from behind one of the snow forts and threw, but the snowball was easily deflected by a wave of Yod’ika’s hand.

“Daddy! Daddy! Watch this!” said another voice, and Din turned in time to see Yod’ika 13 levitate another snowball and fling it. Boga Jr. leapt up in the air, snatching it up in her jaws, snow flying everywhere. Yod’ika 13 laughed in delight. “I taught her to catch them!”

Din doubted it had taken much; Boga Jr. loved chasing and catching things. “Jate, ad’ika,” he called to his son.

“I’m gonna get you again, Dad!” yelled Yod’ika, and another snowball went flying at Din.

It happened as if in slow motion. Boga Jr. spun, her gangly limbs propelling her forward into the air to intercept the snowball, just as it hit the side of Din’s helmet. All Din could really see was a lot of snow and a big varactyl beak, but he certainly felt the full weight of Boga Jr. plowing into him and knocking him into the ground

“Why me?” he grumbled into Boga Jr.’s neck.

Now his visor was full of nothing but varactyl tongue, licking the snow off the helmet. Din grunted at the weight shifting on him; she’d planted her front feet on her chest and she weighed _much_ more than any of the kids. “Down. Down, girl,” he said, finally managing to push her off and sit up. She thrashed her tail, sending snow flying, completely unperturbed by the fact she’d rammed him into the snow; Din tried to brush snow off of him and Boga Jr. tried to pick it off herself, her beak catching on his jumpsuit. Din batted her away. “Down.”

“She’s just making sure you’re okay, Papa,” said one of his children gathered around him, followed by murmured agreement and a few queries of “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Din said. “Maybe watch where you’re throwing snowballs, though, if she’s trying to catch them.”

The varactyl barked, headbutting Din affectionately in the chest and knocking the wind out of him. He sighed. He really needed to figure out how to teach her to mind her own strength; she was gentle with the children but seemed to think he was just as strong as she was, and had no qualms about playing rough with him.

For now, though, he just packed a snowball, waiting for her eyes to be on it and her tail to thrash with excitement before saying “Get it, girl!” and watching her rocket off - with the snowball still safely tucked in his hand.


	19. Chapter 19

glamorousgamine:

I’m just imagining Boga Jr searching for the stragglers at bedtime and it’s like a scene out of Jurassic Park. (An educational opportunity! Kids learn about breathing silently and other lessons in stealth.)

ooops-i-arted:

It’s a learning opportunity, Din tells himself through gritted teeth as he sends out Boga Jr. to collect the kids. They are wanted by the Empire. They need to learn to hide, to sneak, to not be caught, because one day he isn’t going to be there to do it for them. But it would be nice if _just once_ they would come to bed without the theatrics. He would never admit it, but the kids’ shrieks as they’re caught is a little satisfying.

Boga Jr. loves it, of course. It’s a fun hunt, catching all her nestmates! (Or however she thinks of the kids - probably younger siblings. I have no idea if varactyls are even a social species tbh.) And to the kids it is the ultimate game, because the better they hide, the better Boga Jr. gets at hunting, so the better they have to hide next time.

A few of the younger kids get too scared by the big snapping beak lunging out of the dusk, but most of them (especially adrenaline junkie OG Yodito) LOVE sneaking around, hiding in the vegetation, stifling giggles and gasps and listening for Boga Jr. to come tromping by….only to jump and shriek in surprise as she sneaks in and snatches them up by their collars!


	20. Chapter 20

glamorousgamine:

I’m imagining Boga Jr becoming dangerously overweight from eating table scraps to the point where she can’t run fast or jump high. When she’s put on a diet, she caterwauls at mealtime because she wants the people food dammit.

ooops-i-arted:

Lmao it’s so bad. So, so bad. This poor varactyl wailing like she’s dying while Din is trying to explain to the kids that she’s fine and in fact will be healthier after this while the kids can sense how miserable she thinks she is after having been spoiled rotten for so long.

Yod’ike: BUT SHE’S SAD, DAD!  
Din: She’s FINE, she’s just being dramatic. Like all of you when I leave on a hunt. HEY HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM.  
Half a dozen Yod’ike who were definitely about to sneak their poor beloved pet some food: *guilty*

Boga Jr. learns to hang around the babies after that, who to Din’s consternation _love_ throwing food and giggling when they see what a reaction it gets out of Boga Jr.


	21. Chapter 21

anonymous:

My dog currently has on a cone because she had stitches and the vet doesn’t want her messing with them until it’s healed. So now I’m thinking of Boga Jr. having a space-cone lol

ooops-i-arted:

The kids exploit this by sneaking out snacks and treats. At bedtime, they coax her into putting her head down to get the treat, trapping them safely in the cone where Dad cannot haul them off to bed!

Din decides to just keep her in his room during bedtime, so now the entire bedtime routine has to be done with loud varactyl complaints from behind his door and the kids crying that SHE’S SAD, DAD and generally refusing to cooperate. (Next supply run Cara brings Din plenty of extra caf and some chocolate too.)

Luckily it doesn’t last long; Din lets the kids heal Boga Jr. with the Force and the cone comes off soon enough. Until the clumsy, rambunctious young varactyl rockets into something else sharp.

#boga jr causes din's blood pressure to rise just as much as the kids do


	22. Chapter 22

glamorousgamine:

Has Boga Jr. ever tried to regurgitate feed the Yoditos? Not sure what’s canon for varactyls but I’m inspired by bird mom behavior. Din blows his stack and Boga Jr’s bewildered because it’s what her mom did for her.

ooops-i-arted:

Din is not the kind of parent who yells. Even getting him to raise his voice or speak sharply takes a lot; it’s simply not his personality and besides that he always tries to be very mindful of how the kids might react to any behaviors that might scare them, or remind them of their previous trauma. It takes hell and high water to get him to actually full-out yell. Apparently, a varactyl vomiting on the kids qualifies as hell and high water.

Boga Jr. is doing full puppy eyes and the Ashamed Puppy Face because why is her dad yelling at her for feeding her little nestmates?????? Meanwhile behind Din the kids are finger painting in the varactyl vomit. Bathtime is hell that evening.

(I was actually reviewing the Wookieepedia article last night and varactyls are classified as reptavians - reptile and avian characteristics. So while there was no info on how they fed their babies, regurgitation is certainly a possibility!)


	23. Chapter 23

thehollyraven:

Din later tries to figure out why Boga just vomited on the kids... only to find out that’s a Varactyl (and by extension bird I think) thing that they do to feed their babies or in Boga’s case younger best mates. Oof

ooops-i-arted:

It’s instinctive but she can’t vomit on the kids! It’s unsanitary (and disgusting)! It’s a natural behavior but it’s one he has to curb even though he has no idea how; most of her training so far has been easy since she was a zoo animal used to people and people things (like needing her to follow a certain routine and behaviors) but this is something he’s never tackled before and he has no idea how to teach an animal to Not Do The Instinctive Thing. (Especially if what if she has her own kids one day? Din is enough of a realist by now to admit to himself he would 100% be hand-feeding baby varactyls if it came to that but that doesn’t mean he wants to, and wouldn’t it be better for them to be fed by their mama anyway and -)

The next person to stop by finds him passed out on top of his datapad with dozens of tabs of pet training articles open in Space Firefox, and of course Boga Jr. curled up at his feet, happily keeping an eye on him.


End file.
